Credits & Debits

Like canny traders trying to decide how much to invest in a likely stock, experts
from the Department of State and the Export-Import Bank wrangled over a
proposed Argentine loan last week. State recommended a credit of $125 million,
so that Argentina could fund her commercial debts and begin buying badly
needed U.S. farm machinery. The Ex-Im negotiators, not entirely convinced
that Argentina could handle and pay back a loan of that size, argued that $65
million would be enough to restore Argentine credit. For the moment no decision
was reached; the dickering continued. But...